


"If you've ever had a cruch of Akira, please raise your hand."

by FanFiction_Artist_Prototype



Series: P5 Omegaverse [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro is bad at feelings, Alpha Akechi Goro, Alpha!Ann, Alpha!Ryuji, Alpha!Sae, Alpha!Yusuke, Beta!Haru, Beta!Makoto, Beta!Sojiro, Biting, Bonding, F/M, Fluff, He doesn't understand crushes, M/M, Mates, Meta, Omega!Akira, Omega!Futaba, Omegaverse, Protective Boyfriends, Scent Marking, Time Skips, a work in progress, alpha/beta/omega, friendships, non-canon compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-02-27 09:57:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18736744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFiction_Artist_Prototype/pseuds/FanFiction_Artist_Prototype
Summary: The Phantom Thieves are all enamoured with their leader in some way: Romantically, Aesthetically, Platonically...But if there's one thing that unties all these different forms of love, other than the fact its all for the same person, is that they all acknowledge that they should be more worried about the omega who brings so much for their lives. They should be more aware of how much he gives up for them, how much he's willing to put on the line for them and even sometimes, how willing he is to destroy himself if it means they get back up again instead.But how can they focus on that when the omega wants nothing more than for them not to, doing anything in his power to not let them think that way- to not let them think darkly about the reality that encompasses them. And they try and try and try to not give in. If there's one thing though that Akira Kurusu is good at it's making you see his way and forgetting your worries.





	1. Chapter 1

When Ryuji first met Akira, he didn't immediately process the other boys scent. It had been overpowered by the combination of rain, car exhaust and Komashida's shitty scent of all things - now he can pick it out in Mementos where scents are practically non-existent.

Akira's scent is something special; and not because he's an omega and Ryuji's an alpha. **He doesn't believe in that bullshit.**

No, its rather simple, Akira's scent is special because its so... wholly new and yet familiar every time he smells it. It's coffee (but it's a different blend every intake of breath) and its rain and its flowers (it normally switches between roses' and magnolia's) and its blood and sweat but its never bitter and the last two parts only enter into the heavenly mixture after they leave a palace or mementos.  And when they haven't been in either of those places the last two scents aren't there and that's when Ryuji really loves his scent.

He's enamoured with everything Akira and he accepts every aspect of him but his Akira - the one whose eyes flash behind glasses and whose whole appeal is that you underestimate him up until he's got you backed into a corner with nothing more than two sentences- is different to Joker; who he's come to associate the scent with the last two parts mixed in with.

Joker is Akira but not. He's still Ryuji's true mate - but not. It's strange and he hasn't brought it up out of fear of being ridiculed and told he's overworking what brain cells he has but it's something he's put great thought in. Joker has every quality that draws people to Akira, but intensified with other stuff thrown in. Like overwhelming cockiness and overflowing charm that makes the shadows think twice before attacking. Joker is the dangerous side of Akira that people assume they know but don't. To put it simply, while Akira is his true mate, Joker is Skull's.

And though it's strange to think of their cognitive selves as different entities it's the only way he can think to put it- in a way that makes sense of course. Skull IS Ryuji, just the him he wished he could be all the time and Joker is that for Akira so they slot together like he and Akira do.

He's drawn from his intense thoughts though by a pair of lips on his own.

" ** _Aki._** " It's spoken into the kiss and he can feel Akira's lips curve into his own name, " _ **Ryu**_."

He says the others name again, barley breaking away from the constant press of lips, " _ **Aki.**_ "

It's meant to be a playful warning, a nudge in the direction of ' _we need to stop_ ' but it comes out like a love-drunk sigh. And honestly? He's alright with that. He turns his head slightly so that the omegas lips miss his, but instead of taking the hint, the omega seems to think its an invitation to start kissing his neck which -don't get Ryuji wrong- any other day he'd welcome with open arms but not right now. He turns his head again and the motion causes Akira to lean back and allows for Ryuji to look up at him.

Akira is the image of beauty sat on his lap, hair messier than usual and lips swollen from the past half hour of the omega giving Ryuji languid kisses while they had supposed of been having a nap. He isn't pouting because Akira doesn't pout, but when he Ryuji sits up and the omega shuffles backwards slightly to allow the action, it's something pretty damn close.

"Did you not want to continue?"

He supposes the question is supposed to come out as a whine, a child annoyed with their play time being cut short, but from Akira it sounds confused, worried. Like he's upset Ryuji and he wants to do anything to rectify it.

(And doesn't that send something shooting into Ryuji's inner alpha?)

"No- yes - I. Babe, we're supposed to be sleeping."

The look he's being sent makes him feel like a bad child, his mate shouldn't be giving him this type of look- like he's his pup and he needs to be scolded. It's just embarrassing. "Like that's ever stopped you before Sakamoto." Hearing his last name stings something fierce, "So what's really the problem?"

"I..." What can he say really? That he wants to mark Akira, wants to scar his scent gland so that everybody knows who he belongs to? Like Akira's some object to be owned and bought and played with? Like that's all he thinks of the boy that's done everything for his life and more? No. Of course he can't say that. He's not... he's not him. "I don't know. Just stuck in my head I guess."

The omega sighs, and he feels a weight on his shoulders which when he looks turns out to be Akira's forearms. "That doesn't answer my question Ryu."

"I guess," He swallows the guilt down- because he knows Akira isn't opposed to the idea of being marked (its been brought up once or twice) and it makes him feel selfish to think he's holding something back from his omega but - and he's done it again. Said 'his omega'! No, damnit stop it! Akira isn't an item. He feels like he's holding something back from Akira and he hates it; but he can't bring himself to do it, "I guess everything is just piling up in my head and I can't really focus on kissing you with everything that's going on."

The omega's laugh comes first, then his weights leaning forward on him again and suddenly they're chest to chest, hip to hip. And they're so impossibly close as Akira holds him in place, "Ryuji," He's so hyper-fixated on everything Akira that when the other speaks it jolts him, "You don't need to worry about stuff like that."

He doesn't know how, but he can tell Akira is aware of what he's thinking about, "I've already told you, if you aren't comfortable I can wait."

"But you shouldn't have to! If I can-" A finger is pressed to his lips and he looks up at Akira again seeing the sad look the others giving him.

"Ryuji it doesn't matter. You, you are my priority. If it's the Alpha's job to protect it's the Omega's job to care right? So, instead of getting trapped in that pretty little head of yours- just... just enjoy what we have."

It's a heartfelt speech, one of wisdom beyond both their years and it doesn't really fit with the setting. They're on the omegas sorry excuse for a bed, with Ryuji barley sat up while Akira sits flush against him in his lap in a position that looks WAY too sexual for any adults liking, and Akira's lips are making a convincing argument all their own on his lips and neck and Ryuji has to concede defeat this time.

"Fine." There's no real fight there, not really, and he slowly winds an arm around Akira's back keeping him close while the other makes its home in the messy curls he loves so much and then everything else is gone.

They're a mess of tangled limbs and kisses on the omega's bed and neither of them are really aware of anything else and Ryuji thinks, distantly, as he lets himself drift off into the haze that envelopes him whenever hes like this with Akira; that he should be more concerned that Akira's willing to give up a small piece of his happiness for him- but he pushes it away and makes up for it in every fleeting touch and kiss that he presses deep into Akira's skin.


	2. Chapter 2

Yusuke thinks that he might just be in love with Akira - not romantically or sexually but in the way you can be in love with a concept. Where you just find yourself incorporating it into your life, taking inspiration from it and letting the whole thing just imprint itself on you.

He thinks that because ever since the omegan leader of the Phantom Thieves along with his alpha compatriots saved him from Madaramea, he's found himself drifting closer to Akira. The Omega just has such an appealing aesthetic in and out of the mask and it draws him in;

When it's Akira he's blocky glasses, ruffled hair and cups of coffee along with the feeling of the sunset on your skin after a long day at the beach. When it's Joker he's leather gloves and tailcoats, bloodied weapons and devastating confidence mixed in with the protectiveness of an pack mate you've spent aeons with in soul. He's always one or the other and its only at certain times that there is ever a slip, a tiny second where he'll forget that the omega is his friend and not his leader. 

And it always comes in the form of a smirk just a little too cocky, or a nudge to the shoulder with a little too much force. Sometimes its even in the way that he'll huff after a joke and stick his hands in his pockets. He does it both as Akira and Joker but with Akira its more slouched - like he's trying not to be noticed- but when it's a slip up or its Joker it's always with the intention of making the opponent quiver, of making them realise that he's calm and collected and THERE.

Of course, when he puts it that way Akira in himself doesn't so much HAVE an aesthetic and is much rather an aesthetic in himself.

 That's only part of the reason why he thinks he's in love with Akira. The other reason is that the omega would do anything for any of his friends. And Yusuke is lying to himself if he said he doesn't feel proud and oh so affectionate towards the omega when he sees how he stands up for Mishima (A downtrodden Beta that's apparently their informant) or how he stands before an older alpha and told him where he could put his hands when the man had tried to grope Ann when they'd all gone out for Sushi.

He understands his feelings though, even if he knows he doesn't understand emotions very well in general, and he knows that while he's calling it love what he's feeling is something almost mirrored. He's feeling kinship. He's feeling a bond with Akira of the familial variety. He isn't too dense to figure that out- so that's why he can't help but smile when he sees the omega waiting outside his school dorm building on a particularly rainy Sunday morning.

He had intended to disappear into the local library and sketch the quiet scenery before meeting up to go to mementos but he can't do that now. Not when the boy is greeting him with the signature 'Akira' smile. It's small, almost invisible and so easily confused for a knowing smirk. "Yusuke!"

His first name draws the attention of other students and as he walks over to his friend, the omega slinging an arm around his shoulder, he hears whispers that make his teeth grate together almost audibly.

"Isn't that that delinquent from Shujin? The one with the criminal record? You don't think he's blackmailing Kitagawa do you?"

"I mean, hes a criminal so I wouldn't be surprised."

"Maybe Kitagawa's being threatened? Should we report to the dean?"

He's about to snap out, teeth already ready to be bared in a threatening growl when the arm around his shoulders squeezes him close to Akira and the boys comforting scent washes over him, calming him down. "Leave it Yusuke. It's fine."

"It is not-" He stops seeing the pleading look in grey eyes. Eyes that usually display nothing but self-assurance and a loving warmth that makes you want to never look away. Yusuke's tried to capture it in paint more than once but he just can't seem to do it; there's something other-worldly about the shade of grey his eyes are composed of.

"I told you, leave it..." The omega sighs and his arm slips from Yusuke's shoulders as they slip away from the dorm building more and more, "You defending me will just get you in more trouble and cause issues later on. It always does." 

He hates that- because this is Akira: leader of the Phantom Thieves, strongest person he knows, bravest and most intuitive person he's ever had the honour of meeting and the boy that can think and plan his way out of any situation. And Akira has to live his life with the false words of a corrupt drunken man hovering over his head, and apparently nobody can help without it backlashing them later down the road.

"What do you mean? Akira, if there's something going on you know you can come to us."

The omega smiles, different than before. Not the 'Akira' smile but the pleasantries smile he's seen on benefactor's faces at exhibitions as they try and get the most money out of the whole experience. To anybody else it would just look a little more stiff a smile than usual, but to Yusuke he knows it means Akira's hiding something. "I know that, there's nothing going on though-"

"Akira." He immediately regrets opening his mouth then because Akira isn't supposed to look so frantic- he isn't supposed to look so  _scared_ and  _fragile_ and  _broken._ He isn't. Because he's their leader and their friend and the one that's strong when no one else can even think to be strong. "Akira talk to me."

There's a dry laugh then, and it sounds dirty, "Everytime somebody tries to help me shit happens to them. Mishima nearly got kicked out of school, Ryu and Ann have been dragged threw the sewers and no body will ever want to be near them- Kawakami my own teacher gets hassled and looked down on by the other members of staff because she doesn't... she doesn't... treat me the way the others do. No matter what anybody does it always backfires Yusuke."

Something in the back of his head bristles in anger hearing the phrase 'doesn't treat me the way the others do' because that implies that Akira is being targeted. And the thing in him continues to bristle as Akira continues speaking:

"I don't want to ruin your life more than being involved with us already has."

And that hurts, those fifteen words sting and claw and stab at his heart. His heart which yowls that it can't be true, it has to be something different- he has to of misheard because Akira, leader and best friend and... and pretty much pack mate Akira surely knows that the group has done nothing but improve his life. Before he was a slave to his practice, an uninformed prisoner of his mentor and a shell of who he is now.

"You-" The words don't come right away and as they get to the train station he directs Akira to an alcove, "You can't be serious." 

But the look he's being sent is telling him all too clearly that he is serious. "Honestly," he doesn't think he's ever sounded so exasperated in his life, "To think you could be so perceptive and yet miss something so blindingly obvious."

The omega makes a confused noise in the back of his throat and goes to counteract him but Yusuke isn't about to let him, "You and the others have done nothing but make my life wonderful Akira. You in particular have helped me learn things I would never of previously." The boys mouth is hanging open slightly and he's concerned because he's never seen Akira look so shocked and just... well emotional. 

Tears start to build up then at the corner of his eyes under his glasses, and Yusuke's instincts have an internal argument. Because of course, Akira has a mate. An alpha who Yusuke's instincts are telling him to find to help calm the omega down- but his instincts are also screaming at him to not leave the omega alone when he's vulnerable. There's a stereotype that omegas are the more emotional sub-race and Yusuke couldn't disagree more.

Every omega he's ever seen and met has been open to a degree but the idea that omegas bawl openly is stupid. They're 'genetically' weaker and so its an instinctual reflex to never cry until they feel safe. So the fact that Akira is crying softly in front of Yusuke speaks leaps and bounds.

He decides to forego his instincts and pulls the omega to his chest, protecting him from some of the curious gazes of passersby, and runs a hand up his back to sooth him as he uses his other hand to pull his phone out and text Ryuji. They were supposed to be meeting at the walkway to go into mementos but right now their leader isn't really in the best frame of mind. Though Yusuke can't understand whats brought him to tears.

"Yusuke- I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." 

He isn't sure for what the omega is apologising to him for,  but he just keeps mumbling that he forgives him and keeps his eyes sharp until he spots Ryuji limping too quickly for his bum leg to keep up properly without him running. Ann is there as well and their eyes connect and a message is shared between them. Their groups omega is distressed over something and it's their job to make sure he's okay.

As Ryuji reaches them, and Yusuke successfully moves the death grip from himself to the blond boy he steps away catching the tail end of Akira apologising to Ryuji now. He figures there must be something he's missing - something he's too unaware and blunt to notice - and that Akira apologises for this thing quite frequently. Ann shakes him from his musing by tapping his forearm and leading him back away from the true pair.

They stand in front of the alcove; far enough to give privacy and close enough to act as a physical barrier. "I take it he started apologising to you?"

"Yes. Is it something he does often?"

Ann's eyes skirt over her shoulder before looking back to the crowd that passes them by, "Aki's heart is too big for him." He knows that and the look Ann sends him tells him to wait for the rest of it, "And sometimes... when his hormones act out he starts thinking everything that's gone wrong is his fault. Me losing Shiho, Ryuji still being treated like shit, our teacher being segregated, Mishima losing the thing he centred his life around and well..." She looks at him and he feels very stupid because he's clearly missing something important, "He blames himself for you having to live in your less than...par... living quarters. He thinks if we'd gone about the last palace differently you'd still have a home."

"But I still do have one- I chose not to stay there."

"And he KNOWS that, its just... Well, he's doing all those experiments isn't he for the new medicine so his hormones have been all out of whack and so it's all a little strange for him. I mean, Aki isn't expressive to begin with... heh..."

"He does so much for us... and at the expense of his own health and future..."

Ann knocks shoulders with him, its a tight smile like she knows he's right but just doesn't want to accept the idea fully, "Well, we just have to look after the pack omega then don't we? Just because he can kick our backsides to Europe and back doesn't mean we can't be there for him."

And as he hears Akira calm down behind him he can't help but shake his head as he realises that this feeling of kinship he feels is going to break his soul with worry. Because he knows that when push comes to shove, Akira would do anything for them. And maybe; maybe he should be more concerned that Akira is willing to put stuff on the line  that he shouldn't ever consider putting on the line but when the omega mumbles an apology all Yusuke can do is pat him on the shoulder and talk the boy into being his model again.


End file.
